MIRAMAR, Fla. (April 7) – Olympic gold medalist Steven Gardiner is set to make his season debut in the 400-meter race at the 2023 Miramar Invitational on April 8 at the Ansin Sports Complex, after opting to move up from the shorter sprint events. The meet is part of the 2023 World Athletics Continental Tour Silver series.
The Bahamian sprinter, who won the 400m event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was initially scheduled to compete in the men’s 200m race this weekend, where he was down to take on the likes of Christian Coleman, Kenny Bednarek, Zharnel Hughes, and Letsile Tebogo. Live streaming will be available via Runnerspace Live Stream.
However, a revised startlist saw a late switch to the roster, with Gardiner now set to compete in the 400m instead. He currently holds a personal best of 43.48 seconds, which he set when winning gold and setting a national record at the World Championships in Doha in 2019. Read more: Coleman, Hughes, Bednarek and Tebogo headline Miramar Invitational 200m super lineup; Gardiner moves up
The 27-year-old has had a great start to the season, posting impressive times in both the 200m and 300m races and so the expectations are high for him to put on a show in his specialty this weekend.
Leading the list of athletes set to challenge Gardiner at the 2023 Miramar Invitational is Matthew Hudson-Smith, the European champion and World bronze medalist from Great Britain. Hudson-Smith will also make his season debut in the 400m after contesting the shorter sprints to start the year.
Leungo Scotch of Botswana, and Rusheen McDonald, the national record holder from Jamaica, who has been in good form this season are also down to face the starter as well. Other competitors include Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago, Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas, Zibane Ngozi of Botswana, and Rikuya Ito of Japan.
With such a quality field, it is highly possible that the world-leading time of 44.75 seconds by Elija Godwin (University of Georgia) from the United States could be challenged at the event.
2023 Miramar Invitational Men’s 400m Startlist
- Rikuya Ito (Japan) – PB: 45.79, SB: 46.45
- Zibane Ngozi (Botswana) – PB: 45.13, SB: 46.16
- Machel Cedenio (Trinidad and Tobago) – PB: 44.01
- Rusheen McDonald (Jamaica) – PB: 43.93
- Steven Gardiner (Bahamas)
- Matthew Hudson-Smith (Great Britain) – PB: 44.35
- Leungo Scotch (Botswana) – PB: 45.00, SB: 45.78
- Alonzo Russell (Bahamas) – PB: 45.25
